By: Donna Ringrose
Over the past two years, the federal procurement landscape has been riddled with public scandals that point to systemic issues in the way the government acquires products and services. Notably, the ArriveCan scandal highlighted cozy personal relationships with consultants. These ongoing issues clearly demonstrate that it is time for a rethink in how government selects the people bringing new expertise to publicly funded projects.
Global Affairs Canada failed, on multiple occasions, to comply with federal legislation when procuring services from external contractors, as identified in an internal audit. An overhaul within government on how to hire consultants who will deliver services in a timely, efficient, and ethical manner is needed. Consultants, especially Certified Management Consultants (CMCs), are important partners who are ready to help the department find the balance of ethical practices and effective delivery.
Bad actors have found a foothold in the government contracting landscape and have tainted the reputation of all consultants as a result. Now, these actors are at the forefront of the public consciousness and political discussion, while skilled and ethical consultants are sidelined and diminished.
Not every dispute between the government and contractors or consultants is worth taking to court. In many cases, taxpayers would be on the hook for further losses. Professional consequences should exist at every level of procurement, from the smallest short-term engagement to the largest multi-year, multi-department strategies and implementation projects.
Ethical requirements as a professional obligation are not new.
Regulated professions such as law, medicine, engineering, accounting and architecture all have various ethical requirements that professionals must adhere to - but there is no such requirement for consultants. Yet consultants are routinely responsible for program design and large-scale project delivery that invest billions in taxpayer money annually.
The federal government would not dream of hiring an accountant who did not go to school for accounting or who failed their CPA exams. Similarly, the federal government should not hire consultants who have not achieved the professional designation for consulting.
Governments need an ethical test for consultants, and a system of accountability for bad actors that ensures they cannot repeatedly go back to the well while delivering poor results. Value for money, project, and ethical practice should be departments’ primary focus when determining which consultants to hire, not the relationships that they have built.
CMC-Canada represents over 2500 members across Canada. Our disciplinary bodies, Board of Directors, and Provincial Institutes ensure ethical behaviour is adhered to, and that consultants uphold the expectations of an internationally recognized designation.
Canadian businesses should have the opportunity to benefit from federal projects that deliver on the desired outcomes. At the same time, the public should be able to reasonably expect safeguards that ensure high-quality, consistent and credible services that maximize the return for taxpayers.
Consultants for government should be ethical and professional, and those credentials should be verifiable by someone aside from the government, which has shown they are not up to the task. Instead, we need a type of third-party validation of their standards and certifications.
The key to procurement success is collaboration between government and management consultants. CMC-Canada has a deep understanding of our industry’s range, and the norms that need to be upheld to return on investment for taxpayers.
These changes should be a top priority for the federal government, regardless of which party holds power. As we get closer to a potential federal election, it is important that we consider new and innovative ways of procuring skills. Unless drastic changes are made, the system will continue to be unresponsive, and scandals will unfortunately become the norm.
